


Fight or Flight

by M_E_Lover



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Blood and Violence, Gen, Original Character Death(s), Schizophrenia, Suicide, psychotic character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-25
Updated: 2017-05-25
Packaged: 2018-11-04 23:13:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11001009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/M_E_Lover/pseuds/M_E_Lover
Summary: Harold has to try and save John after the perceived victim turns out to be the perpetrator.*WARNING* There will be no happy ending!





	Fight or Flight

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I guess I'm finally ready to admit that I'm weird for enjoying the writing and reading of stories that involve pain and suffering and sometimes even death.... I probably don't know how to write anything else! What an awful niche! 
> 
> In my defense though, I would NEVER want to see any of this stuff actually happen in real life!
> 
> Thanks as always to oddgit for the proofing!

Fight or Flight… there was no question which he would choose. John was being held captive, bound to a chair, barely conscious and gagged… helpless for one of the very few times in his life.

Harold hadn’t deciphered their intel quickly enough and John ran headlong into danger with no clue that the woman, who was perceived to be the victim, was the one that posed the danger.

Now Harold stood before her with his hands held out on either side of him… showing her that he was not armed as she held her 357 Magnum to John’s head.

“Miss Johnson… I beg you to reconsider your choices and lower the weapon.” Harold began in earnest. 

When he'd entered the room, Harold was able to determine immediately that the head wound John had sustained was potentially life threatening. The large knot that had formed on his right temple was swelling rapidly and Harold was deeply concerned that he might lose him as a result of it. The coagulated blood that had matted John's hair against his scalp and had left a long trail of crimson down one side of his face, was a ghastly sight to behold.

John could barely focus on anything as he nodded in and out of consciousness. Harold had known when he had heard on his end of the com line, the sickening thud of something hitting John hard enough in the head to knock his earwig out. He knew John was in trouble and that it was very bad. He had to help him quickly.

“This man came here to kill me. I’m going to make him sorry,” the woman stated coldly.

“No Miss Johnson, I promise you, he came here with no such purpose. He came to help you.” Harold spoke as steadily as he could hoping his demeanor would put the crazed woman somewhat at ease.

“You’re a liar.” She slowly turned the gun at him now and his calm façade was steadily deteriorating. 

He had found out far too late that the woman was a paranoid schizophrenic and that she had been off her meds for two months now. Also that it wasn’t her ex-boyfriend that was the danger; it was this woman who as it seemed had finally become completely unhinged.

“You’ve come here to rescue him and now you’re going to die as well.” She laughed maniacally and Harold knew then that there was only one choice to be made.

He looked at John who was slowly becoming more aware of his surroundings. They made eye contact and in that very moment, the woman turned the gun back toward John’s head. 

Harold rushed the woman and tackled her to the floor before she knew what had happened.

A deafening shot rang out and then another as John struggled in his bonds, unable to see behind him.

Then there was almost complete silence except for the sound of someone desperately fighting to breathe.

John’s worst fears were realized when he was finally able to break free of his bonds... he turned to see Harold lying to the side of the dead woman with a horrific gunshot wound to his chest.

Blood was quickly expanding from the gaping hole, saturating his pristine white dress shirt, coloring the garment a horrifying shade of crimson.

John pulled the tape off of his mouth as he rushed to his dying partner's side.

Harold’s breathing was extremely labored as he blinked up at the ceiling myopically.

John hurried to his side and eased his hand under his shoulders, picking him up from the floor gently, cradling him in his arms. He quickly pulled Harold's tie loose as he fought for air and undid the top two buttons of his shirt, hoping to help him breathe easier.

Harold winced from the movement but made no other sound but the gurgling of fluid filling his lungs as he began to drown in his own blood.

“Finch…” John tried to stop the tears but they came anyway. He was going to be alone again in the world soon as his brave and benevolent partner ebbed away. “Please Harold…” He sobbed quietly knowing there was nothing he could do to save him.

Harold turned his eyes and tried to focus on John's face. He attempted to speak but only coughed up blood as agonizing pain washed over him in waves. Sharp, hot splinters of misery stabbed at him throughout his chest, overwhelming him in its intensity, until numbness finally surpassed all other sensation. 

He couldn't speak as John rocked him in his arms... but he tried as hard as he could to convey his emotions of gratitude and appreciation for John through the pain in his expression. He met his partner's eyes and smiled weakly as blood bubbled up and trickled from his lips.

It wasn’t the agonizing pain John knew Harold was experiencing. John saw with Harold’s final breath the love and affection the man had felt for him conveyed in his clear blue eyes as they dimmed before his own. 

John put his hand to Harold’s beloved face and closed his eyes tenderly.

He stayed and held his partner close and rocked him until he felt no more warmth from Harold’s body. He kissed his forehead and laid his still form down reverently.

He picked up the gun that had ended his partner’s life and laid beside him… then ended his own.


End file.
